1993: Bailey’s 818

January 30, 2024

By AHNZ

Christchurch nightclubs Bailey’s 818 (Colombo Street) and Bailey’s Downtown emerged from the 1980s disco, pop, and ‘hair bands’ era in the year 1993. The founder, Anthony Bailey, had a background as a disco DJ and by all accounts (sources, Facebook and Old Friends Archive) knew his trade very well and was well-liked by staff and customers. Bailey’s talent was to be the human nucleation that crystalised into a nightly party atmosphere that Canterbury youth flocked to. Drink, music, dancing, and the scene for Generation X boys and girls to meet. The Irish concepts of craic and the Welsh hwyl  were successfully monetised at Bailey’s establishments.

The first years were probably characterised by the pop music of Michael Jackson, Madonna, Eurythmics, Prince, etc. And, pop-rock such as Bon Jovi, INXS, Def Leppard, Guns’n Roses, Aerosmith, Bangles. It would have roughly corresponded with the scene described in the Rock of Ages musical (2005) and film (2012.)

Bailey’s 818 was one of the few clubs with door queues. It had karaoke, stripping, competitions, Gold Card membership, and $1.00 drinks. In return for access to their peers, and the hospitality, young people paid a busy crew of bar staff, cleaners, glasses collectors, DJs, and bouncers to entertain and clean up after them. Hot girls distributed free alcohol in test tubes, eg. Opal Nera Black Sambuca. There were even smart-looking branded watches made by Paul Manson. Ref. Remembering Christchurch, Facebook (2024)

That scene was peaking in 1993 and giving way to a new one, Alternative Rock (“Grunge”) represented by Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Stone Temple Pilots. Closer to home we had Head Like a Hole, The Feelers, SHIHAD, Silverchair, Powderfinger. That sort of music, I don’t think, was compatible with Baileys. The hook-up culture, heavy drinking, karaoke, flash clothing, flash hair, flash light shows, and disco balls do not blend with the tone of Smells Like Teen Spirit, Enter Sandman, Under the Bridge, Black Hole Sun, Jeremy, Black, Daughter,…

It may be that Tony Bailey and Bailey’s did manage to keep up with the times or perhaps they were the last refuge for the last pre-Nirvana Gen Xers before they all got married, sensibele cars, haircuts, and real jobs. Ref. Get A Haircut And Get A Real Job by George Thorogood & The Destroyers also a product of 1993.

“Oh, the nightlife…There was the Bog (the original) where my hand bag got stolen one night, recovered by another group of girls I didn’t even know (solidarity even back then), Trader McKendrys, The Palladium (affectionally known as the Getladeium), Sneakers and The Loaded Hog. There was Baileys 818 and Roman Scandals. When hanging out with my country friends we would haunt The Carlton (the original) and Lochinvar’s. If you were a Lincoln student, these were mandatory. Boozy snacks at the 24hour McDonalds on Cashel at 3am. No night was ever a success unless you went to bed when the sun was rising. But of course everything changes, as it always does. We always think that everything lasts forever, and that time can be squandered like a finite thing we have an endless supply of. The earthquakes happened, and Christchurch as we knew it, was gone.” – Clare Inkson Creative (2019)

“BAILEY’S 818 LIMITED was registered as New Zealand Limited Company on 17 Jul 1990, …the status of this company is Removed now. Bailey’s 818 Limited ‘s dissolution date is 12 Sep 2014 and it had been running for 24 years 1 months, and 26 days since its registered until dissolution.” – nzwao.com

“It was good to meet so many good people staff or customers.” – Anthony Bailey, Memories from Bailey’s 818, Old Friends, Internet Archive

“My husband and I had the brasserie at 818 for about a year. I also worked behind the bar and sang in the band Sister smith and hosted sunday and wednesday Kareoke for a while. Had some good times. Saw a lot of people come and go. It was the in place in its day.” – Tracey Austin(Crozier,) Memories from Bailey’s 818, Old Friends, Internet Archive

Bailey’s 818 Ltd. actually dates from 1990 as a corporate entity but the brand was “decided” in a radio 91ZM competition in c.April 1993. According to the newspaper this choice caused a public dispute between Bailey and entrepreneur Stan O’Keefe¹ who owned Bailie’s Bar in Cathedral Square. A skeptical Anarchist view of history suggests there was really no such dispute at all but that it was theater to the mutual publicity advantage of both pubs. Ref. Lawyers may join pub row on names, The Press, Christchurch City Librarys, National Library

Previously, Bailey’s 818 was known previously the Albion Tavern which opened on 14 May, 1990. Ref. Christchurch in the Nineties, Geoffrey Rice (2002)

The Albion first opened in 1864 before being re-named a bit, ultimately to The New Albion Tavern when it was sold for $1,600,000 in 1987. Ref. The Press (1987,) Papers Past

After being closed in October 1988 then demolished, the Albion Hotel rose again. The old identity appears to be part of the post-war synthesis of rugby and horse-racing, smoking, tobacco sponsorship, beer, beer sponsorship, and workers. That old Conformity was quite functional for New Zealand. Men and women got to self-medicate with drink and smoke, the brewing and tobacco businesses got rich and put proceeded toward local sport and community received funding. But these patrons were getting older in the 80s so the market was shrinking. Smoking, in particular, was under attack by the Politically Correct under the guise of “health.” That old synthesis was pulled down. It’s no coincidence that the tavern being replaced by the nightclub were also the years when cricket and rugby became professional as a necessity to replace the funding model that had been demolished.

The 1993 Bailey’s 818 launched with a catchy radio jingle with the lyrics “Bailey’s 818. For good times it’s the only place….Come and dance the night away…There’s party people all around…You and your friends should hit the town…Take your baby out ’til late, you’ll feel good and they’ll feel great….For good times it’s the only place. Come to Bailey’s 818 tonight!” Ref. Bailey’s 818, AHNZ, Youtube (2024)

The interesting thing about that old jingle, and what prompted me to write that post, is the strong resemblance it has to Dua Lipa’s song Houdi (2023.) I’d appreciate it if you’d listen to both tracks and let me know if you can pick up on the same similarity by making a comment below. Likewise, anything you can add about the history of Bailey’s or the other clubs of that era would be valuable.

—
1 Stan and friend John McCarthy established Christchurch’s first large scale liquor outlet and pioneered the trade by introducing ‘fill-your-own” flagon and “swappa crate” discount beer. Ref. Star News (2020)

Image ref. Keri Frater at Bailey’s 818 shared to Old Friends c.2015, The Internet Archive

Image ref. Jason Hendra, Remembering Christchurch, Facebook (2024)

Note, I looked up former staff member Kere Reihana and asked him how things wound up and he told me: Anthony Bailey  opened 818 about 30 odd years ago I was 19 or 20 and been going since week of the bar opening. Bailey was a liquor rep for I think DB who had their beers in all the bars here in ChCh. He also had a Dj company that did pubs on the side. A falling out happened. The brewery got rid of him. Badly of course so after the smoke settled ie settlement money etc he put it and started his own bar 818.

It all to do with cover charge etc Fast forward he sold the bar to [redacted] (lawyer) he was a interesting guy he and few people ripped of the banks using a scam. Buying houses saying they worth more banks would loan and when they didn’t pay banks would go hehe a rich house….Then when they realise it’s a shit hole etc. from what I heard they managed to scam 1.5 million before they got caught. It’s somewhere in the google pages lol. Before he went to court etc he brought 818 with the help of an Indian group that own a gambling charity. They own a few bars back then though out the nz The police and liquor licence people tried for years to shut the owner down because of the fraud charges etc but never did.

I started working as bar night time manager and dj for the last 2 years of its life. And dj upstairs in Wednesday night as it was the only night we opened and was packed [lawyer] was a good guy to work for but had some bad traits ie like sex with younger females or group stuff etc. And also he didn’t hide the fact he stole the money but they never found. It so it connect the 2 dots the bar was washing the money. We closed after Xmas I think. The owners (Indians ) was facing court cases and fighting them but the main guy…well his other life found his way to the papers. He had a 2nd wife and family so he gave up put the company into liquidating which meant all the trust bars closed. Which meant us. Later it was sold to the local RSA Christchurch city club and then earthquakes closed it for good.

Like    Comment     Share